People's Options: Health Care

To Congress,

People have still not forgotten the health care bill. It is still the topic of public daily conversation. We did not want this bill. We did not like this bill. People are unhappy that their opinions were ignored by Washington. We think the bill will personally harm us and harm the country as a whole.

I received your E-mails praising the virtues of the health care bill. Your arguments are weak and unbelievable. Facts do not support your statements. Even government agencies are stating that this bill will not accomplish what Congress said it would. The price of health care will go up not down. Many people will not be able to keep their insurance that they like, because companies will find it more cost effective to just pay the finds. Eventually private insurance companies will be driven out of business.

Congress passed this bill and now the public has to deal with it. In November of 2010 and 2012 we can thank you for this disaster. Twenty states have currently filled suits against the provisions of this bill. Thirty-nine states are considering or already implementing legislation to curtail the bill. A state amendment will be placed on the Florida ballot this November allowing Floridians to express their opinions of this bill. How can not purchasing a commodity be interstate commerce?

The first step to repealing and replacing this bill can begin this November. If the people can regain control of even one house, funding for the bill can be blocked. It can be repealed after the election of 2012. Most provisions of this bill will not go into effect until 2014 anyway. In the meantime we can hope that the courts will make the right decisions and declare the bill unconstitutional – which it is. Congress was not given this power.

My personal choice of solutions is to convince two-thirds of the state legislatures to call for a Constitutional Convention to precisely and limitedly define the phrases “to regulate Commerce...among the several states” and “promote the general Welfare”. Doing this would rectify this problem and prevent future problems.

Signed,
The Electorate

Incomplete Financial Reform

Congress is debating a financial regulation bill. Why is Congress ignoring the gorilla in the room? Why is Congress not seeking regulation reform for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? These quasi governmental institutions were the leading cause of our current recession.

The recession started with the housing crisis which was caused by sub prime mortgage loans. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, along with Congress, encouraged and enabled these loans. Starting with the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 and extended by such bills as the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Security + Soundness Act of 1992 banks were required to grant risky loans to people who could not afford them. By 2001 over fifty percent of home mortgages had to meet the requirements set in these acts. It was inevitable that the housing market would collapse.

Yet most in Congress do not think Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac need to be further regulated. Some in Congress say that these institutions will be regulated at a latter date. When Congress kicks the can down the road that means they will never do it.

When Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac granted outrageous bonuses to their executives, Congress ignored it. These institutions have been guaranteed endless bailouts. They are rife with incompetence and corruption. People have protested this for many years. Nothing was done.

Any financial regulation reform is meaningless, if Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not included in the bill.

Signed,
The Electorate

Border Insecurity

I completely understand the frustrations that the citizens of Arizona feel. Their homes are no longer safe. Crime is running rampant. They are threatened with murder, kidnapping, rape, robbery, and vandalism. Criminals are swarming across the border. Drugs are flooding our borders. Arizonans are under attack. They have begged the federal government to send in troops and secure the border. The government, so far, has refused to do this. Are Arizonans expected to watch it happen and do nothing?

It is the responsibility of the federal government to secure the border. Why aren’t they doing it? Almost three years ago Congress promised they would build a fence to help secure the border. Where is the fence?

When Congress finishes the fence and has secured our borders, I will be willing to consider comprehensive immigration reform. Let Congress first show that they take our security seriously and will keep their promises.

Signed,
The Electorate

Areas of Concern on Financial Reform

The proposed financial reform bills have four main areas that need to be addressed before there is a final vote on the bill.

A vital part of needed reform is missing from the proposed financial reform bills. Reforms for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not addressed. These two institutions played a major role in our current recession. It would be foolish in the extreme not to include them in a financial reform bill. It would be like going on a diet without addressing your caloric intake.

Wall Street is going to love the proposed liquidity fund. It provides for a permanent revolving bailout. It will encourage risky financial behavior. Risk will not frighten them, because they will not have to face the consequences of their risky behavior. This provision does not prevent bailouts – It creates them!

Some members of Congress are proposing to again separate commercial banks from investment banks. This is actually a good idea. The Glass-Steagall Act (1933) established this separation. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (1999) removed this separation and allowed banks to combine commercial, investment, and insurance services. This created banks that were recently deemed “to big to fail”.

The most alarming part of the proposed legislating is the amount of power that Congress cedes to the Executive branch. Without the approval of Congress, the administration can take over any company that IT deems to be at risk. This is not limited to banks. The Administration would control the operations of these companies. It would set policies, salaries, and the very existence of these companies. I would like to ask Congressional Democrats a question. Would you have granted these vast new powers to the Executive branch if George Bush were still President?

I ask Congress to further consider what needs to be included in a financial reform bill. Do not rush this. Our economy is at stake.

Signed,
The Electorate